Is it OK?
Arch
forecast so I am wool gathering and wasting bandwidth. In this affluent
area of Florida many once beautiful but now out of style and beat up
turned objects of exotic woods show up in thrift shops for very little.
I admit to having reworked some and they came out pretty good. I never
pretend that they are my originals, but I must not feel good about them
as I haven't shown them to other turners. Have any of you wrestled with
this question of ethics? Of course, I understand that like all art it's
all about how I see and feel about myself, but like art a line has to be
drawn somewhere. :-) Justifying to myself that this is no different than
buying a planed and rounded exotic bowl blank instead of beginning with
a log didn't quite work for me. I first thought the low prices reflected
the public's poor opinion of woodturned objects until I realized that in
thrift shops oil paintings, ceramics and fine furniture were all in the
same boat. If this is of any concern to anybody, what is your take?
Arch
Fortiter,
Lyn J. Mangiameli
Here's my intial thoughts. If you've changed the line and/or form in any
significant way, it's now yours. You chose the wood, generated it's final
shape, and determined it's finish. It is your final toolmarks, or lack
there-of, on the form. In some respects, I don't see how this is any
different than the common practice in some schools and production shops of
just taking a roughed out bowl from a pile that could have been initially
roughted out by anyone.
If, however, you have made only a minor contrbution to it's shape, adding a
bead or cove here, changing the shape of a foot there. I'd see those as
enhancements. I would suggest that perhaps the best way to label such work
as "original (date) turning by (name or anonymous turner) enhanced by Arch
(date)."
Just one other suggestion. I'd make sure I was very familiar with the names
of turners before I altered a turning (such as looking them up in the AAW
directory, and being familiar with the woodturning "art" and historical
books). There are turnings that show little talent or be of little
perceived value to you, but may actually be early works of an important but
slightly lesser known turner. It would be a shame to loose those works,
even if they seemed a little primitive. Just think of how many paintings of
important artists were painted over. One possibility would be to check the
directory and if the person is in it, give them a call and tell them what
you are considering doing, and provide them a chance of buying back the
work if they so choose. If not, it seems fair game. I envy your access to
an inexpensive source for exotic woods.
Lyn
Steven D. Russell
A few years ago, I did an art show where one of the chaps was selling his
bowls for next to nothing. When I got the chance, I stopped by his booth and
visited with him about turning, etc. Seems he gets all his wood for free and
turns for the "joy" of it. Therefore, he did not care if his bowls were
almost free. He had some magnificent timbers in his stand, all with very
provocative colours, most were 14"-20". Many of these timbers, I had wished
in days past for the chance to turn but alas, no such luck! His finished
walls were quite thick (@1-1.25" or more) and were still "green and moving"
according to him. All of the bowls had a poly coating applied to them. He
said that he did not care much for sanding and most of his bowls were a bit
rough, just the way he liked to make them, rustic was the term he used as I
recall.
At the end of the show, I stopped back by his booth and he said that he had
sold very few bowls, one or two at most. For a minute or two, I wondered
about buying his entire inventory and using them as roughouts, since they
were all quite green. Some even felt wet when you picked them up, with the
very thick walls and the poly coating, it seemed like an easy way to a
roughout, and cheap to boot! The wonderful timbers and colours beckoned me
as I contemplated many of the same things you mentioned... Is it proper, is
it fair, would I be banned from the turning world? etc... I decided not to
pursue the idea and walked away, wishing his good turning and good fortune
in the future. I can see many ways to view this, each fraught with its own
set of questions and concerns. Like being stuck in a bloody quagmire, the
more you struggle with it, the deeper you sink.
Like a room with many doors that only leads to yet another set, there is no
easy answer. In my particular instance, I felt that my work must be 100%
mine, unless it's a collaborative piece. It felt like cheating to me, so I
did not pursue it. It's a very personal thing I guess, each must make the
decision for themselves. For me, I stood pat and walked away. I often recall
this moment, the colours and timbers are still fresh in my mind... I wonder
what became of this chap and what he is turning these days. I guess I'm
getting too old. Take care and all the best to you and yours!
--
Better Woodturning Through Chemistry...
Steven D. Russell
Eurowood Werks Woodturning Studio
Machinery, Tool and Product Testing for the Woodworking and Woodturning
Industry
The Woodlands, Texas
"Arch" <al...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:9175-3B3...@storefull-132.iap.bryant.webtv.net...
ralfn
furnature, art, tools, cars etc. Some restorers are well known and sought
after for their work. They do not take credit for the original work but for
the restoration and/or modifications that they do. There shouldn't be any
problem with somebody doing the same with old turnings provided they don't
take credit for the old turnings but for the restoration/ modification work
they did.
As Lyn mentioned, it would be nice to give credit to the original turner
where possible.
Ralph Fedorak
Fort McMurray Ab.
Bill Day
done, or with bad finish...etc....But unless I totally change them, I
never offer them as my work....I either give them as gifts or keep them
for myself. But I do plan to have a little corner in my home display
some day (when I get the room cleaned up well enough to HAVE a home
display) and call it "Many Happy Re-Turns" and sell them as just what
they are: cleaned, repaired, refinished pieces...(seldom do I even find
one which has been signed, so I assume they are just rejects when I get
them)..... I just finished doing a Teak salad bowl, and I still have 6
small ones to do...I think I'll just keep them.
(oh...it is LOTS of fun to rescue old pepper grinders and put new,
interesting pieces of wood to some decent mechanisms!)
.................
On Sat, 30 Jun 2001 13:48:32 -0400 (EDT), al...@webtv.net (Arch) wrote:
>I admit to having reworked some and they came out pretty good.
>same boat. If this is of any concern to anybody, what is your take?
>Arch
>
>
> Fortiter,
>
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